The Road
The Road, previously titled On the Road is a comedy web series developed and created by Annie Mercury. The show premiered on June 17, 2013, and has concluded its first season. Its second season will premiere on May 2, 2014. About '2011–13: Development and first season The series first began production in September 2011, when Annie Mercury brought Tim Henswald and Matthew LaVernon on board to the project to her assist her with writing the first season. According to LaVernon, "the script for the pilot - which Annie did by herself - was just incredibly strong and it was so funny. I thought the story was so comedically intriguing and I new I wanted to be a part of it from the moment I read it". After re-writing portions of the pilot episode, Shocking Autumn reviewed the script and immediately became interested; promising to secure financing for the series. However, Shocking Autumn was worried the series' "self-deprecating, subtle humour" would not communicate with viewers and opted to have Annie write the entire first season before ordering a pilot to be filmed. The scripts for the first six episodes and inaugural season were completed in April 2012. Shortly after, Shocking Autumn approved the scripts and ordered them straight-to-series on May 13, 2012, effectively bypassing a pilot order. Initially planned to begin airing in September 2012, production was put on hold due to "contractual budgetary disputes" that were resolved in August 2012. Annie Mercury served as the first season's showrunner and head director, while Ben Zecks and Tim Henswald served as executive producers and occasional directors. Filming took place from September 16, 2012 to January 2, 2013 in several locations, including throughout several cities and towns in Western United States - particularly Bismarck, North Dakota; Salt Lake City, Utah; Las Vegas, Nevada; and Anaheim and Los Angeles, California. Filming also took place in December 2012 at Shocking Autumn Studios in Los Angeles. The animation process began in January 2013, being handled by Antrieb Animation und Fotographie Studio, which is based in Berlin, Germany. Re-shoots took place from March 1 to 4, 2013, at Santa Barbara Municipal Airport. On January 2, 2013, Shocking Autumn announced that they would not air the series due to continued contractual disputes. Later that month, the series was picked up by The Online Network. The first season, which contained 6 episodes, aired from June 17 to June 26, 2013 - with 3 episodes airing each week. The series premiered to critical acclaim and became The Online Network's most viewed series to date. '2013–present: Second season' On June 24, 2013, The Online Network announced that the series had been renewed for a second season to contain 12 episodes and air in Summer 2014. On July 9, The Online Network announced that the second season's episode order had been increased to 18 episodes and announced that filming would begin in August. On July 27, it was announced that Annie Mercury would return as showrunner, however the head director position was given to Ben Zecks, who is also executive producer. Tim Henswald exited the program as executive producer and occasional director due to scheduling conflicts. Filming for the second season premiere took place from August 5, to 9, 2013, in Santa Barbara, California. Filming for the second and third episodes of the season took place simultaneously in Arizona and New Mexico from August 12 to 16. Filming for the fourth episode of the season took place from August 19 to 23 in Mexico. The fifth and sixth episodes were filmed from August 26 to September 3 in Texas. The seventh episode was filmed from September 16 to 19 in Louisiana. The eighth and ninth episodes were filmed simultaneously in New Orleans and New York State from September 23 to October 4. Following a filming hiatus, production on the tenth and eleventh episodes took place in Ontario, Canada from October 28 to November 8. Filming for the twelfth and thirteenth episodes took place simultaneously from November 11 to 19 in Quebec and New Brunswick. Filming for the fourteenth episode took place in Nova Scotia from November 20 to November 26. FIlming for the fifteenth and sixteenth episodes took place in Newfoundland and Labrador from November 26 to 29. Filming for the seventeenth episode took place in San Fransisco, California from December 2 to 6; with San Fransisco being used as a stand-in for Vancouver. The eighteenth and final episode of the season was filmed in San Fransisco from December 6 to 20. Additional scenes were filmed in Burbank, California on January 2, 2014, and re-shoots were filmed from February 16 to 18 in Los Angeles, California. On November 11, 2013, The Online Network announced that the second season of The Road would premiere on May 9, 2014. It was also announced that Matthew LaVernon had been hired as executive producer and occasional director. Post-production for the season began in Berlin, Germany, later that month. On January 3, 2014, The Online Network pushed up the season premiere to May 2. A trailer for the second season was released on January 14, 2014 that revealed that the second season would focus on the characters being lured across the continent by a group of blackmailers who have exhumed Bo's grandmother. The trailer also revealed that the second season will be titled'' The Road: Continental Drift''. A second trailer for the season premiered on April 20, 2014, and the second season officially debuted on May 2, as expected. The second season premiered to overwhelmingly positive reactions from critics 'Third season and possible fourth season' Annie Mercury has renewed her contract with the show through 2015, meaning a third season is a "strong possibility". Oasis has picked up syndication rights to the series that will become effective in November 2014. In September 2013, Matthew LaVernon stated he was signed on for "two more seasons following the second season". Mercury said in an October 2013 interview that she would like to film the third season in the Carribean and the fourth season in Europe. The Road was renewed for a third season on December 18, 2013. The season was initially planned to contain 18 episodes, premiere in January 2015 and be filmed entirely in Europe. The third season will pick up two months after the events of the second season and will see the four characters running from Interpol after being accused of a significant crime. On December 27, LaVernon announced that the fourth season would begin filming in Paris in February. On January 3, 2014, The Online Network announced that Tim Henswald would again not return as executive producer or occasional directer due to an uninterest in filming in Europe. Mercury, LaVernon, and Zecks will all return as executive producers and occasional directors, with each planned to direct six episodes. On February 10, 2014, The Online Network announced that an additional 6 episodes had been ordered for the third season, extending the season to 24 episodes. It was subsequently confirmed that Mercury, LaVernon, and Zecks would all direct eight episodes each. The first episode of the season was filmed in Paris, France from February 24 to March 7. The second episode was filmed in Brussels, Belgium from March 10 to 14. The third and fourth episodes were filmed in Luxembourg from March 17 to 28. The fifth and sixth episodes were filmed in several German cities from March 31 to April 11. Following a two-week filming hiatus, the seventh episode was filmed near Skagen, Denmark from April 28 to May 9. The eighth episode was filmed in and around Stockholm, Sweden from May 12 to 23. The ninth episode was filmed in Mariehamm, Sweden from May 26 to 30. The tenth episode was filmed in Helsinki, Finland from June 2 to 6. The eleventh episode was filmed in Prague, Czech Republic from June 9 to 13. The twelfth episode and mid-season finale was filmed in Budva, Montenegro from June 16 to 27. Production on the third season will resume on August 18, 2014 near Pripyat, Ukraine, the location of the 1986 Chernobyl disaster. Filming will eventually move into Greece and Egypt and will wrap in Western Europe in late 2014. Series overview 'Season 1: 2013' The first season was announced on May 13, 2012, and aired from June 17, 2013 to June 26, 2013; containing 6 episodes. 'Season 2: 2014' The series was renewed for a second season on June 24, 2013. It will contain 18 episodes and will premiere on May 9, 2014. 'Season 3: 2015' The Road was renewed for a third season on December 18, 2013. It will contain 24 episodes and will premiere in February 2015. Controversies 'Criticism of Antrieb Animation' In December 2012, upon the announcement that German-based Antrieb Animation would handle the series' animation sequences, several media outlets criticized The Online Network executives for allowing animation to be completed in Germany when the filming cast and crew were all entirely North American. Reports stated that the network was employing over 30 German animation employees for the series. These reports were criticized, with Music Radar stating that the network could have hired American animators who are "better trained" and could "help improve the American economy". The Online Network responded to these criticisms in a statement issued on January 12, 2013, stating: "Antrieb Animation was selected as the official CGI consultant company for the program due to their employees' overwhelming talent and connection with the emotional storyline we are trying to illustrate in this project. The team of German-based animators we are working with have all had several years of training". Tim Henswald later stated that the network had contacted several American animation companies however none of the companies met the network's "creative and financial needs". 'Denial of Russian production visa' In May 2014, The Online Network contacted the Russian government to request a visa to allow them to film in Moscow and other locations within the country during the third quarter of 2014. On June 3, 2014, the Russian government declined the request. The Online Network later declined to comment on the reason for the government's denial of entry into the country. Specials '''''Before The Road On August 22, 2013, it was announced that a special episode entitled "Before The Road" would premiere in December 2013, and would serve as a prequel to the first season. The episode was filmed in North Dakota in March 2013. The special aired on December 23, 2013.